Simple Skincare & Beauty Tips ~ Just for You!
There is no way to count how many kinds of skincare creams and lotions are on the market. Name an ailment, and you will find hundreds of skincare creams, lotions and other types products that work along with it. As a result of ongoing research and due to ever increasing demand, the number of skincare products seems to be on the increase. Skincare lotions and skincare creams are the most popular forms in which these products are available, and there always seems to be a debate on which form is better?
Well, really there is no definitive answer to this. It seems to come down to a matter of personal choice. However, greasy creams are surely less popular as compared to the non-greasy (or less greasy) ones. Not all creams are greasy, it will always depend on the brand of choice. Since the application of skincare lotions is easier, they could be seem to be preferred (over creams). Most creams come in a jar where as lotions come usually in a bottle with a pump.
Creams are known to be most effective in keeping skin moist; hence, the most popular form of skincare creams is moisturisers. Due to the same reason, a lot of people tend to associate skincare creams with caring for one’s skin. One of the problems that creams in a jar have that lotions to due not is application, you are sticking your fingers into the jar each time you use it, and in doing so you are putting whatever is on your fingers into the jar. That is why many high price brands will give you a spoon of some type to get the cream out of the jar with. That way you don’t put anything into the jar that isn’t clean. It helps also with getting you just enough to apply to your skin.
Lotions come with a pump most often. Making it easier to get it out of the bottle and you don’t put your fingers into it. A good example is The Skin Society skincare moisturisers.
Skincare lotions are also used for products that cater to skin disorders especially for disorders that require the application of product over a small localised area. This is again due to the fact that skincare lotions are easier to apply (without wastage) on the affected area.
Eye creams and anti-aging creams are other examples where skincare cream is preferred over its lotion counterpart.
Mostly due to the ingredients used and the factor of cost.
Whatever your choice be (cream or lotion), knowing how to use it effectively, is more important than anything else.
My grandmother, she started walking five miles a day when she was sixty. She's ninety-seven today - we don't know where the hell she is
~ Ellen Degeneres
Too many people confine their exercise to jumping to conclusions, running up bills, stretching the truth, bending over backward, lying down on the job, sidestepping responsibility and pushing their luck
~ Anonymous
People are living longer, it is a fact and this is leading many more people to develop an interest in products that are promoted as having “anti-aging” qualities and to look for ways to extend the enjoyable years as they age. One key factor to keep in mind when thinking about anti-aging products is to remember that the best way to reduce the effects of aging is to maintain your overall health and to take care of your body along the way.
Many benefits can be obtained by following the normal list of recommendations such as eating well, developing a proper exercise routine, getting adequate sleep, minimizing stress whenever possible and ensuring you have the proper intake of water as part of your overall health conscious diet.
As people age, their skin is likely to become more sensitive and they need to have access to familiar products from brands they know and trust which they can continue to utilize without worry of irritation or unpleasant side effects. Manufacturers of skin care products are paying attention to the needs of the elderly because they are a rapidly growing demographic that is looking for quality skin care products that will help them keep their skin healthy. Over time, one may begin to notice that a product which worked perfectly good for a long time has now started to cause irritation to the skin, this change is usually very gradual and may take years to fully show. In certain circumstances this change may be much more drastic and you will notice that a skin care product which worked perfectly well last month suddenly is causing irritation this month, this type of change can be influenced by a variety of factors in your life.
As someone ages it can become more important to use skin care products that are milder, manufacturers are aware of this and produce many products that are very mild and are targeted at older people. Extensive research has been done on individuals in older age groups by the makers of quality skin care products, because of this research they are very aware of the unique needs and potential skin conditions that members of this group may suffer from and what is required to help them maintain healthy skin. If these quality products are used on a regular basis people can notice a dramatic difference in their overall skin health because many of these anti aging products contain a large percentage of natural ingredients. These natural ingredients tend to be milder on the skin and can also posses rejuvenating properties which can have a significant impact when used properly.
Quality anti-aging skin care products, when used regularly over years can provide a definite advantage to those who use them by not only rejuvenating, maintaining and protecting the skin but it has also been shown to help people look much younger than others of the same age who did not maintain their skin as well.
A bear, however hard he tries, grows tubby without exercise
~ A.A. Milne
This is part two in our series of Basics of Skincare, Tools of the Trade. You can read part one here: Basics of Skincare, Tools of the Trade – Part One
What are moisturizers?
They come in many names, types and ingredients. From your real basic to eye creams, serums, wrinkle cream, day and night creams, anti-aging, dry skin, oily skin, acne. Each moisturizer type is meant to do it’s job working with the rest of what you apply. Serums are applied first, eye cream and then your moisturizer best suited for your skin type, your age and need. “Layering” your moisturizers makes best use of everything you apply; as you get older the more types of specially moisturizers and serums you will need. No matter their price tag, no one moisturizer will give your mature skin what it needs. Depending on your skins needs, age and even time and seasons all play a part in which moisturizer will be needed. Moisturizers are usually a lotion or cream meant to help your skin retain moisture. They also return some of the natural oils lost during cleansing /toning process. Moisturizers stay on your skins surface depending on type and ingredients and only penetrate just deep enough to help your skin renew itself. One of the big reasons why cleansing and moisturizing your face at night is so important. Moisturizers slow down moisture loss with a protective film. They also help offset any tightness and help plump up the fine lines so they are less noticeable, making your skin feel softer. Night creams generally are heavier than day creams. Eye creams usually contain active ingredients to tighten under your eyes, help fight dark circles and help smooth away fine lines and delay the formulation of wrinkles.
What are other products you would use in your skincare?
Other products are used to exfoliate and remove dead skin cells on the top layer of your skin so that it speeds up cell regeneration. They are not products you would use every day, most are used no more than twice a week. They include your mud mask, and other products that exfoliates made with ingredients like fruit seeds, oatmeal, clay for example. They help improve your skin texture and appearance. Masks are best used once a week due to the fact most are made with clays and can be over-drying. Most Exfoliates can come in different ingredients that make them not as hard on your face as clay masks can be. In fact you can find lots of recipes for both masks and exfoliates you can make with items found in your kitchen! Always test before trying anything new you create on the inside of your elbow and wait 24 hours before using on your face.
Check with your dermatologist if you got questions.
There you go! Next time you go to buy something new to help keep Mother Nature a bit longer away, I hope this helps.
Products we recommend for your anti-aging skincare routine:
Reviva Labs 5% Glycolic Acid Cream Exfoliation & Cell Renewal for Mature Skin
Light Skin Peel ~ All skin types!
Men’s Care Repair Moisturizer by Natural Empathy
Essential Fatty Acid (EFAs) Cream For Thin Delicate Skin
To avoid sickness eat less; to prolong life worry less
~ Chu Hui Weng
This is a two part series on what you need for caring for your skin the best way possible. Not many care for their skin, taking care of it takes time and not many really know or understand what that might take. Here is a quick run down of what you will need, to help your skin stay looking as young as possible.
Basics of Skincare -Tools of the Trade
Did you know for basic skincare the magic number is four? There are three basic steps you do twice a day and one step you do twice a week at most.
The three basic everyday skincare needs are:
1- cleansing
2- toners
3- moisturizers
4- would be your specialty products such as mud masks, exfoliation for example.
What are cleansers?
These are specialty formulated products meant to remove grime, and makeup from your skin, without over-drying it. They clean off old makeup, dirt, oils. They come in different types, creams, lotions, gels and bars of soap. Cleansing with a bar soap is one of the oldest most efficient cleanser, but it may not be the best for your skin. Creams and lotions are easy to use; just massage into your skin to lift dirt and remove with warm water or tissue it off.
What are toners, fresheners, astringents?
They are specialty formulated liquids mostly with alcohol as one of the main ingredient. Alcohol is usually the active ingredient in toners; it makes your skin feel fresh and cool because it evaporates quickly. It can also temporarily minimize your pores by plumping up the skin around them. The percentage of alcohol differs from product to product. In fact you may find that astringent, toners, and fresheners as part of the label for the same product. The three are pretty much interchangeable in meaning as well as product.
There are a few differences to point out, astringents usually have the highest percentage of alcohol and mostly used for acne care. There are water-based toners that are formulated especially for mature skin or any skin type that cannot tolerate the over-drying that alcohol can do. When checking labels, look for products where the word alcohol is closest to the last on the list of ingredients.
Products we recommend for your skincare:
The Skin Society
Skin Vision US
Men’s Skincare Lines
Ella Blue Skincare
The rest of this article will be posted in a few days. 
I feel about airplanes the way I feel about diets. It seems to me that they are wonderful things for other people to go on
~ Jean Kerr, "Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall," The Snake Has All the Lines, 1958
